Chapter 4

'hunter and prey'

After what happened with her brother, Sakura became more careful. She declined to go deeper in the forest and stayed closer to the edge, apologizing profusely to the wolf when he whined. And once there, she was careful not to fall asleep. But still nothing kept her from visiting every day.

She was making plans to do just that, in the early afternoon of yet another calm summer day, while tending the chore of weeding her garden. The morning had been spent washing dishes and linens, tending to the chickens, and then preparing a small meal for her brother to eat when he came home for lunch. He'd eaten and then left again for his work rebuilding a neighbor's pig shed, and would not be home until the evening. As soon as she'd cleared out these weeds, she would assemble some leftovers and be off.

Her idle thoughts were interrupted by the staccato vibrations of hoofbeats, first felt through the earth and then eventually becoming audible as they drew closer. Horses? Surprised, Sakura looked up when a small crowd of horsemen rounded her cabin and halted at the forest's edge. These were not any men that she knew in her village, and had a rather unwelcoming look about them; all carried weapons of some type, bows and arrows or wickedly sharp lances with blades that gleamed in the sunlight. Their dress was rough, and nearly all of them wore some kind of animal pelt. Sakura stayed where she was, kneeling in the dirt, watching nervously and wondering who they were. Now that they'd reached the woods they'd all dismounted, but made no move to venture in. They seemed to be waiting.

She got an even bigger surprise with the next arrival. No batch of horsemen, but an elegant carriage rattled up the dirt path and then around her home, the driver directing his steeds as far as they could go before tugging on the reins.

A carriage! Sakura's eyes almst popped out of her head. No one, not even the richest citizen in her village, owned such a luxurious thing. It had to be from the city, but why would some rich noble come all the way out here? To her cabin? Amazed, she studied the fancy gold crest on the door and tried to remember where she'd seen such a symbol. It did seem familiar, somehow…

The driver dismounted his bench and opened the door.

"Your majesty."

Because it was the royal crest. Sakura hadn't thought her eyes could get any bigger but they did just then, as the driver stepped back and respectfully saluted. The man that was her king, sovereign of Chapeyne, disembarked and stepped onto her family's land. He was a tall man, well-built and obviously powerful, his graying black hair pulled back at the nape of the neck and a beard to frame his square jaw. He was dressed simply, for a king, in a royal blue shirt and tan breeches that nevertheless looked to be of a high quality material and expensive. His interested gaze swept over the crowd of men and the forest beyond them, then settled on Sakura.

The king was looking at her! She couldn't just stay down here in the dirt, she had to greet him properly. Hastily she jumped to her feet and curtsied, painfully aware of her grubby appearance and wishing she'd worn her nicer dress that day. But who could have ever guessed? Why was the king in her village at all, let alone her front yard?

"Well, well, well," he drawled, with a voice rich and deep. "What have we here? Come closer, girl."

Heart thumping, Sakura obeyed. Not sure if she should move quickly or gracefully, she settled on a compromise and took several short but fast steps until she was merely steps from the king. Was a commoner permitted to look into the eyes of the king? She kept her gaze on the ground just in case.

"Look up," he instructed, and she was quick to do so. Up close the man was even more intimidating, his gray streaks hardly comparing to the hard jaw and sharp black eyes. The king was terrifying to Sakura, but then his face cracked into a small smile. "It's a fine day."

Tongue-tied, she nodded.

"Do you have a name?"

"S-Sakura Kinomoto," she stuttered, then remembered to add "your majesty."

"Well, Sakura, had I known this part of the forest was home to such beautiful girls I would have visited sooner."

When his meaning sunk in Sakura blushed to the roots of her hair. The king called her beautiful! She had no idea how to answer, but the driver of the carriage saved her from it.

"Your majesty, shall I send out the hunters?"

The king nodded, eyes never leaving her face, and waved a brief hand of dismissal. At once the captain turned to the motley group and started barking orders to move in and fan out, leaving Sakura to wonder once more what was going on.

"I've come here today for sport," the king explained, upon seeing her puzzled expression, "hunting wolf."

And Sakura's elation took a sharp turn downward. "Wolf?" she repeated uneasily.

"Oh yes, it's a… peculiarity of mine. I'm seeking one in particular, a very large one with a coat that's more brown than gray. Have you ever seen such a wolf, Sakura?"

"No," she lied automatically, before her mind could catch up. "Your majesty. I… would be very frightened to see any wolf."

The king nodded understandingly. "Of course, of course, a pretty young maiden such as yourself ought never cross paths with a predator like that. Still, I've received reports matching his description from this corner of the woods, so I'm hopeful that today I'll finally catch him."

He grinned, a predatory glint in his eyes, and weakly Sakura returned the smile. She'd lied to her king, surely that must be a sin. If not a sin, then a terrible crime indeed. But the king was here to hunt the wolf, her wolf, and she would not betray her wild friend even to royalty.

But why? Why did the king want to hunt him at all?

"It would surely make the day more pleasant if I had a fair companion," the king was saying. He extended a hand and Sakura stared at it, blankly. "Won't you join me, in the forest?"

"Uh…" was her only response, her mind boggling. The king of all Chapeyne, ruler of her country, was asking her to accompany him. Every girl in her village would have given anything to take her place, but Sakura was hesitant. She did not want to join a man who was hunting the wolf.

And yet he was the king. How could she refuse him?

"I would be honored, your majesty. Please forgive me, I look frightful." Timidly she placed her hand on his and he grasped her fingers, pulling her even closer.

"Nonsense. There is hardly a lady in all my court with a face so lovely as yours." And with that he raised her hand and pressed his lips to it, igniting yet another furious blush. No one would ever believe this. "Then, shall we?"

"Yes, your majesty."

In one chivalrous gesture he swept an arm towards the forest, as if inviting her into her own woods, and started walking. She had to hurry to catch up.

- - - - - -

Though Sakura had been to the forest many times, this walk was certainly quite different from all the others. She'd never walked under the trees by the side of a king, and his idea of a 'hunt' was unlike any she'd ever heard. He carried no weapon, and walked along the path as easily as she would about her yard, engaging her in conversation without any worries of making noise. His captain scouted ahead and a pair of royal footsoldiers shadowed them by several paces, ready to protect their king if any danger presented itself, and behind them came still two more servants loaded down with baskets. The scruffy looking crowd of hunters had already dispersed throughout the trees to do the real work, and thinking about it kept Sakura from concentrating on the king's casual dialogue. Would they find him? No, surely not, her wolf was far too clever to let himself be caught.

"Do you often walk these woods, Sakura?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, but never too deep into the forest. I often hunt mushrooms or pick fruit to feed my family."

He tsked, looking disappointed. "Such beautiful hands, put to menial work. A shame. A young lady such as yourself should grace my palace halls, and touch nothing but diamonds and silver goblets."

Sakura turned pink again. No one had ever called her a lady, and the king's words made her uneasy. Surely he didn't actually intend to bring her to his castle?

"Your majesty is very kind," she mumbled, staring at the path. "I am very happy in my home."

"Have you a husband?"

"No, your majesty. My brother says I am too young for courting."

"Oh? Well, perhaps he'll change his mind soon."

Sakura did not particularly like the way he said that, and so was happy when a distraction presented itself in the form of an open clearing. She'd often come here to spend time with the wolf, and when the king spotted it he declared it was time to rest. Quickly the servants went into action, unfolding an elaborate groundcover for the two of them to sit on and then unpacking their baskets. Though Sakura had already eaten a small lunch, she couldn't help but stare at the variety of food they were setting out: an entire loaf of crusty white bread with pate to go with it, cold roasted hen, and a number of pastries.

"I like a small snack when I go hunting," the king explained, accepting a goblet of wine from a servant. Numbly Sakura took one when the servant offered it, though she'd never even tasted wine before. "To good fortune in the hunt," he proposed, and raised his glass. Meekly Sakura copied him, and he tackled his 'small snack' with enthusiasm.

"If I may ask your majesty," she finally ventured, "why is it just one particular wolf that you hunt? Surely there are so many in the forest."

"That's true," he agreed amiably, "but I want this one. I've been hunting him for a long time, you see. A little more than three years now."

Sakura gulped. For so long? The king was truly determined to see the wolf dead, and that frightened her. "But why?"

"We have a history, the wolf and I," he drawled lazily, looking off to something Sakura couldn't see. "Three years ago I killed his parents, when he was hardly more than a- a pup. He managed to escape me, however, and I've hunted him ever since. Three years… my, it has been some while, hasn't it? He must be fully grown by now. I wonder if he's taken a mate?"

For some reason that thought tickled the king, and he chuckled. Not at all sure what was so funny, Sakura kept to silence and prayed that this hunt would end soon. It must be wrong to think this, but she didn't like being in the company of the king. He made her nervous.

A shout from within the trees startled her, quickly followed by many others. The king looked up with a smile of anticipation, just before his captain burst into the clearing.

"Your majesty! They've cornered him, it's the wolf you've been seeking! I'm sure of it!"

Sakura's heart leapt into her throat and she froze, but luckily the king wasn't paying attention to her. Immediately he got to his feet and started forward, his long strides eating up the distance.

"Where? Take me, and quickly!"

"Yes, your majesty."

He'd apparently forgotten all about her, but Sakura couldn't stay here with the servants. Not with the wolf possibly trapped. Perhaps the hunters had made a mistake, but she had to see for herself. Holding her skirts up, Sakura dashed after the king.

- - - - - -

It was the wolf. Somehow the hunters had managed to corner him briefly against a patch of thorny brambles with their lances, and shouts to others brought a crowd down upon him that even he couldn't escape. Terror-stricken, Sakura watched the group surround the wolf, lances all turned inward like the spokes of a wheel as they encircled him. One or two had already poked him lightly, and some blood matted his fur. Enraged, he snarled and barked at the men who held him captive but could not see a way to break through.

And the king smiled in delight. "He is indeed, captain, that's the one I've been looking for. Excellent job. A bow and arrow."

He extended one hand and the captain hurried to furnish him with the required weapons. At an order from the underling the circle opened up, partly, allowing a clear view from man to wolf. Again the king smiled, and strung his bow.

No… helplessly Sakura looked to the wolf. He'd stopped barking, abruptly, once he saw the king. Now he dug his claws into the earth, muscles tensing as if he would leap at any moment, a deadly growl deep in his throat. Perfectly aware of the danger the arrow presented, he didn't move. But neither did he try to escape through the surrounding ring of men, his eyes bitter and boring into the king with a fury beyond words. Sakura didn't know a wolf could glare but this one was, glaring with all the bitterness and hatred of a thousand wronged victims.

The wolf hated the king.

"And now," the king gloated softly, "it ends. You're mine."

He pointed the crossbow directly at the wolf's chest, at this distance a sure shot. Panic flooded Sakura and before she'd realized she'd moved she was sprinting to the king. It all happened too fast to think; she only felt the brunt of the collision and his startled grunt. Her small weight was not enough to knock him over, but the king stumbled back a few steps and dropped his bow to the ground. Frantically Sakura snatched it and tossed it as far as she could throw.

"RUN!" she shouted hysterically. "Get away!"

The wolf didn't have to be told twice. Everyone there had been shocked into immobility by Sakura's unexpected action, and in their hesitation the wolf fled. Like a brown blur he whisked past Sakura and disappeared into the trees, and too late the captain yelled for the hunters to follow. He would get away, certainly, he was too clever to be caught a second time. Only then did it occur to Sakura that she really ought to be running too, and she bolted for the trees.

Too late.

"Get her," the king ordered calmly, and she was tackled to the grass before she'd taken more than three steps. Struggling in vain against the king's burly soldiers, Sakura was dragged to her feet and held there. Dread balled up in her throat when she watched the king idly brush off his shirt, then saunter closer. There was a different look in his eyes now.

"Well, well, well," he repeated. "It seems that he took a mate after all."

Too terrified to speak, Sakura only trembled under his hard and calculating stare. When it came, the slap almost turned her head around and set her face on fire.

"You've committed a serious crime today, Sakura, you assaulted your king. I could have you killed right now." A sinister smile spread across his features, blurring in Sakura's vision as she tried to hold back tears. "But I won't. You are going to do something for me instead."

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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.